Gold Star families encountered difficulties in arranging for former President Donald Trump to join them at Arlington National Cemetery for the third anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal.
According to a report by The Daily Caller, the families invited Trump to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the 13 servicemembers killed during the withdrawal. However, they faced challenges from Arlington National Cemetery officials in coordinating the event.
The families reported that the cemetery imposed strict time constraints and initially refused to allow Trump to visit the gravesites. The situation was only resolved after intervention from House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican lawmakers.
House Speaker Mike Johnson's involvement proved crucial in resolving the issues surrounding Trump's visit. After being contacted by Gold Star parents and Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul, Johnson intervened to ensure the ceremony could proceed as the families wished.
McCaul expressed his frustration with the situation, stating that such difficulties should never have occurred for Gold Star families who have already endured significant loss. His swift action in reaching out to Speaker Johnson helped overcome the obstacles presented by Arlington National Cemetery officials.
The intervention by Johnson and his team led to a significant shift in the cemetery's stance, allowing for more flexible arrangements that accommodated both the families' wishes and Trump's attendance.
The Gold Star families involved in organizing the event voiced their frustration with the initial resistance from Arlington National Cemetery. They emphasized that it was their decision to invite Trump and that they had not received any communication from the current administration in the three years since their loved ones' deaths.
Darin Hoover, father of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover spoke emotionally about the situation:
We, WE extended the invitation to President Trump. We are the ones that asked him to come. We are the ones that asked him to assist in laying a wreath for our son, and for the shooting for, Sergeant Canals and for Cole. We're the ones that asked that. President Trump didn't come to us. His team didn't come to us and say, hey, this would be good for business. Business? No. President Trump has stood by us from day one. He has been compassionate. He has been loving. He's been understanding. He's taking the mantle of our outrage a little bit. Because to be quite honest with you, being very frank, we haven't heard diddly squat from the current administration in three years.
Several Republican lawmakers commented on the difficulties faced by the Gold Star families in arranging the ceremony with Trump. Rep. Darrell Issa of California, who had previously called on President Biden to meet with these families, was present at the ceremony and had been in contact with Arlington National Cemetery leading up to the event.
Issa criticized the Biden administration's handling of the situation, stating, "This administration absolutely interfered with the tributes to the 13 fallen. In its war on Trump, it made the Gold Star families collateral damage." The involvement of multiple Republican representatives, including Issa, McCaul, and Brian Mast, highlights the political significance of the event and the support these lawmakers provided to the Gold Star families in their efforts to honor their fallen loved ones.
When contacted about the difficulties faced by the Gold Star families, the White House distanced itself from the situation. A White House spokesperson referred inquiries to Arlington National Cemetery, stating that the matter was between the cemetery and the Trump campaign, not a White House issue.
This response from the White House adds another layer to the controversy, as it appears to shift responsibility for the complications entirely onto Arlington National Cemetery officials. The lack of direct engagement from the current administration on this sensitive issue may further fuel the frustrations expressed by the Gold Star families. The cemetery itself did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the claims made by the families and lawmakers involved in organizing the event.
The Gold Star families' efforts to include former President Trump in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery faced significant obstacles. The intervention of House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican lawmakers was necessary to resolve the issues. The families expressed gratitude for Trump's support while voicing disappointment with the current administration's lack of communication. The White House distanced itself from the controversy, referring inquiries to Arlington National Cemetery. This event highlights the ongoing sensitivities surrounding the Afghanistan withdrawal and its impact on military families.
